Bacteria, viruses, germs, molds, fungi and other undesirable microorganisms are transferred from one area to another through contact with people, animals and objects that come into contact with them.
The present invention is concerned with the problem of spreading microorganisms that are carried on the outer surfaces of footwear and other objects as well as hands, feet, paws, hooves and other anatomical surfaces that have been exposed to areas contaminated with undesirable microorganisms. The outer bottom surfaces of footwear such as soles and heels can come into contact with floor areas or outdoor ground areas that may be unsanitary and contaminated with microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, germs molds, and fungi. Areas where such microbial contamination commonly exists include hospital areas, such as emergency rooms, food handling areas such as food markets, restaurants, recycling areas, and refuse dumps as well as public toilets, public sidewalks and streets, handrails on staircases and escalators, parks, park benches, farms, or anywhere that the public frequents. Someone or something that has been contaminated with an undesirable microorganism can easily and unknowingly spread the microorganisms around. In some cases the contamination can result from urine in areas near public toilets and urinals, animal urine and feces as well as human sputum on sidewalks, streets, lawns, etc.
The outer surfaces of other objects such as suitcases, handbags, purses, briefcases, packages, and the like which come into contact with such contaminated areas as airport bathrooms, bars, and restaurants which may expose them to domestic and international microorganisms also become contaminated and thereby become a source of further microbial contamination. Thus, footwear and other objects can carry microorganisms into the home, office, car or other personal areas.
Further, house pets that have come into contact with contaminated areas such as parks, yards, and the like can also carry undesirable microorganisms into the home. In livestock areas cattle, horses, sheep and the like constantly come into contact with undesirable microorganisms and spread them around on the paws, hooves or feet.
In all these scenarios, a person's hands may also become contaminated by touching a contaminated area. This will result in the transfer of the pathogenic microorganisms into the body through subsequent touching of the mouth, eyes, ears, and such. Similarly, bare feet can be exposed to microorganism contamination when walking bare foot outside or in locker rooms, pools, showers and the like and further spread them.
It is therefore highly desirable to eliminate or significantly reduce the amounts of these microbes from surfaces that carry them.
Solutions to this problem have been disclosed whereby devices containing fluid disinfectants either wet the bottom of footwear through sponge applications or a disinfectant is sprayed onto the bottom of footwear. The solutions create other problems such as slippery soles, tracking of the fluids and potential exposure to toxic materials relating to the disinfectant. A dry method would thus be more desirable.
A device described in US Pat. Appl. 2010/0193709 utilizes a platform that is transparent to UVC sanitizing radiation uses to disinfect a shoe or foot. The transparent platform is made of glass which blocks a certain portion of the UV light with only a remainder of the light illuminating the shoe or foot. The platform may also be a metal grid allowing for the UVC light to shine through. The application also describes a cover that the feet or shoes go into so that any stray UVC light does not escape. The glass used in this application blocks the disinfecting UVC wavelength of 254 nm and allows through the non-disinfecting UVB and UVA wavelengths and is therefore not suitable for disinfecting applications. The cover in this application presents a tripping hazard as well as an imperfect cover for blocking stray UVC light.
A device described in US Pat Appl. 2010/0104470 describes a device that uses a UV light along with a platform preferably made of Plexiglas and a “soft plastic material” on top of the platform with a gel between the plastic and the Plexiglas that is absorptive of the UV light. When a shoe steps on the platform the gel will be pushed aside and the UV will shine through the Plexiglas, the “soft plastic material” and onto the sole of the shoe. Radiation with germicidal activity is 254 nm which will not pass through Plexiglas which is polymethylmethacrylate. Although the application states other transparent materials can be used for the platform, no enabling materials are described therefore leaving those skilled in the art to perform a substantial amount of research to find suitable materials. Additionally, the application states “soft plastic materials” that are substantially transparent to the disinfecting radiation can be used, without any suggestion as to what those materials might be, again leaving it to the practitioner to perform a substantial amount of research to determine a material which is soft, pliable and transparent to the disinfecting radiation, which again is 254 nm. While many gels absorb radiation there, not any gel will be suitable for this application. The gel needs to have to correct viscosity so that it will push away when pressure is applied but not be so viscous that when pressure is removed, the gel will flow back into the area creating a substantially uniform thickness ready for the next shoe to disinfect.
Thus more efficient devices and methods and more suitable materials are needed to properly eliminate or significantly reduce undesirable microorganisms. Additionally these are no provisions for hands sanitation, house pet sanitation or other animal sanitation.